Diving apparatus



April 19, 1932. E. KULIK DIVING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 23, 1950 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 777 flM/k 1 ATTORNEY.

E. KULJK w DIVING APPARATUS Filed Odt. 23, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY= A rii 19, 1932. E. KULIK DIVING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 23, 1930 3Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. A m/7 Fax/b6 L MW A TTORNE Y,

Patented Apr. 19, 1932 PATENT OFFICE EMIL K'ULIK, OF BROOKLYN, NEW FORKDIVING APPARATUS Application filed October 23, 1930. Serial at. 490,601.

This invention relates to diving apparatus and is directed moreparticularly to improvements in devices analogous to diving bells. Theinvention is especially directed to an apparatus which maybe loweredoverboard from a salvage ship and while attached thereto by cables,chains or the like may be submerged to relatively great depths. Theapparatus is such that the interior thereof is provided with a pluralityof compartments through the provision of appropriate bulkheads and inthese several compartments are positioned devices for controlling thebuoyancy of the devices propelling mechanism whereby it may be selfpropelled and apparatus whereby one or more persons safely housed withinthe apparatus may direct its operations of undersea salvaging. It iswell recognized that divers clothed in even the most modern diving suitscannot descend to l and arms in all directions and can manually socoordinate their operations as to accomplish through such mechanicalhands everything that can be accomplished by a diver but with evengreater power and more eiliciency. The said mechanical hand arrangementforms an important part of this invention and the detailed constructionand operation thereof will be hereinafter more fully explained. V

, Another important feature of the invention resides in the associationwith the hull of one or more propellers whereby the apparatus may bemoved about at the will of the operator housed therein. The source ofpower for the propelling means may be furnished through a cable,associated with the hoisting cables or chains, from the salvage vesselor tender on the surface. i

A further feature of the invention resides in what may be termed aflotation chamber. comprising one of the compartments of the hull andsuitably valved. ,lVithin this chamber are appropriate tanks ofcompressed air. When the chamber is vent-ed a fluid valve may be opened,to flood the chamber and bring about submersion of the hull. When it isdesired to come to the surface, the compressed on an even keel.

Appropriate .searchlights to facilitate operations at great depths andatnight are provided as will be hereinafter more fully e2?- plained.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will beapparent from the here'- inafter detailed description and claims, whenread in conjunction with the accompanying: drawings. I

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of theinvention, but" the construction therein shown is to be understood asillustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through apparatus embodyingthis invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus.

' Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken approximately on the line 3-3of Figure 1. I,

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4+4 of Fig. 1. V

Figure is a view of the stern of the craft.

Figure 6 is an elevation of one of the brackets to which the liftingcables are attached.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 77 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the hatch shown in Fig. 7

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail section of one of the mechanical handsand the means for operating the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the hull of the apparatus. Thishull is preferably of the shape shown in the drawings. The upper portionthereof is preferably rounded over as illustrated in Fig. 4, while theunder portion thereof is substantially V shaped to produce the effect ofa keel. The after under portion of the hull slopes upwardly to atransom-like stern 2 indicated in Fig. 5. The forward portion of theupper deck is shaped similar to a turret as indicated at 3 and in theforward portion of this turret are strong transparent ports 4 to permitof vision therethrough. In the top of the turret 3 is a hatch 5 which isshown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8 and which will hereinafter be morefully described. The interior of the hull is divided. by partitions 6, 78 and 9 into aplurality of compartments 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14. Thecompartment 11 may be termed the operators room for it is herein thatthe operator is housed. The transparent portholes 4 are in the forwardwall of this room. In the stern compartment 14 are positioned twoelectric motors 15 arranged respectively on starboard and port side ofthe medial line of the hull. These two motors are fitted with propellershafts 16 which extend through suitable bearings and through stufiingboxes to the exterior of the hull where they are provided with twinscrew propellers 17. The motors 15 are of the reversible type and thecontrol wires thereof are fed through water-tight conduits 18 extendingthrough the partitions 7 8 and 9. These control wires lead to port andstarboard switches 19 which are preferably mounted on the floor of thecontrol room and are adapted to be foot controlled, so that an operatorseated upon a seat 20 can place his two feet upon these two switches andby appropriately rocking them on transverse axes can tilt them front orback to control both motors selectively. The wiring is such that when aswitch is tilted forwardly the associated motor will operate in onedirection and when it is tilted rearwardly said motor will operate inthe opposite direction. In this way, the'operator may control the motorsselectively and thus bring about movement of the device while submerged.

Current is fed to the switches 19 from a ship or tender on the surfacethrough an appropriate cable which may be associated with hoistingcables or chains adapted to be attempos tached to brackets 21, one ofwhich is shown in detail in Fig. 6.

Positioned within the two central compartments 12 and 13 are a pluralityof compressed air tanks 22 having suflicient capacity to furnishcompressed air to the chambers 12 and 13 in sufficient quantities and atthe necessary pressure to force water from these chambers at anyworkable depth of submersion. These tanks are provided with appropriatecontrol valves 23 and are connected by a pipe 24 to a three-way valve 25positioned in the control room.

From this three-way valve extends two branch pipes 26 and 27, one ofwhich leads into the compartment 12 and the other into the compartment13, so that by manipulation of the valve 25, pressure may be entirelyset off from the pipes 26 and 27 or may be directed into either one orboth of them as desired. Positioned at or near the bases of thecompartments 12 and 13 are valves 28 and 29, which are normally springpressed into closed positions and are of the flat lift type. The stemsof these valves extend upwardly and into cooperative relation with cams30 and 31 on a cam shaft 32 which projects forwardly through thepartition 7 into the control room and is provided with an appropriatehandle 33. By the manipulation of the handle 33, the valves may beopened or closed selectively as well as collectively. \Vhen the craft isat the surface and it is desired to submerge both valves 28 and 29 areopened by rocking the cam shaft into an appropriate position so that thecompartments 12 and 13 are flooded and the craft caused to sink. -VVhenit is desired to subsequently rise to the surface, compressed air isadmitted through the three-way valve 25 into these two compartments toforce out the water and render the craft buoyant. More or less water maybe admitted and utilized as ballast in the proper control of the valves25, 28 and 29 and the craft may be trimmed to maintain it on an evenkeel in the same way. I do not consider it necessary to describe theseoperations in great detail as they will be clear to anyone familiar withdiving and salvaging operations.

It may be noted that the compartments 12 and 13 are provided withmanholes 34 through which access may be had when the craft is on thesurface for the purpose of repair or adjustment. They are normallysealed and water and air tight. The compartment 14 has a similar manhole35 for access to the motors.

The hatch 5 to which I have referred as associated with the control room11 is shown in detail in Fig. 8 and is provided at its center with athreaded post 36 having thereon an adjusting nut 3'? to which areattached a plurality of links 38. The opening in the hull has a fitting39 which carries a gasket 40 on which the hatch seats and this fittingalso has an undercut flange 41 to be engaged by the links 38. Pins 42 onthe nut 37 secure the links thereto and each link has its in and slotconnection 43 with the hatch. en the nut is screwed upwardly on thepost, the links are drawn inwardly and out of radial relation, so as topermit the hatch to be seated on the gasket. By then screwing down onthe nut, the links are moved into radial relation and forced downwardlywith a fulcrum ing operation which binds the hatch firmly to the gasketin a leak-proof joint.

One of the most important features of the present invention consists inassociating with the hull, means which has been referred to asmechanical hands. The structure is clearly shown in Figures 1, 3 and 9.By reference to these figures, it will be noted that there is mounted atthe very front of the hull, two stuffing boxes 44 and through eachstufling box extends a rod 45. Each stufling box is provided with asuitable packing 46 and a packing nut 47 and this arrangement providesfor a water-tight joint about each rod 45, While allowing for slidingmovement of the rod within the gland. The inboard end of each gland maybe suitably braced by a bracket 48 which forms a bearing therewith, andan additional bearing 48 is also formed on the front wall of the hull.Each rod 45 extends through the partition 6 into the control room 11 andmounted on the partition 6 is a hand wheel 49, which is secured againstlongitudinal movement in the partition in the manner indicated in Figure9. This hand wheel, however, has a threaded connection with the rod 45,so that through operation of the hand wheel the rod may be curvedlongitudinally with considerable force. The inner end of the rod isprovided with a toothed wheel 51 which is fixed to the rod and a yoke 52straddles the toothed wheel and is freely rotatable on the rod. Alocking catch 53 is associated with the yoke and has a hand operatedmember 54 mounted on the handle 55 of the yoke. lVhen the locking member53 engages the toothed wheel, the handle 55 may be manipulated to rotatethe rod 45, whereas rotation of the wheel 49 will impart longitudinalmovement to the rod. The rod is provided at its outer end with a pivot56 by which it is secured to an arm 57 which carries at its free end ametallic member closely simulating the human hand. This metallic memberdesignated generally by the reference character 58 has a plurality offingers 59 bent so that the entire construction very closely simulates ahuman hand in the act of clutching something. The ends of the fingersare hooked and the same is true of the thumb. The structure very closelyresembles the human hand with the exception that at the back of thestructure, it is provided with a hook spur 60 which is bent upwardly andbackwardly as shown. The link 57 and. the rod 45 collectively constitutewhat might be termed a toggle pivoted at its elbow as indicated at 56. I

The front end of the gland or stufling box is provided with a bracket 61and a link 62 is pivoted at one end to this bracket and at its other endto the arm 57 From this arrange ment, it will be noted that, when thehand wheel 49 is operated to slide the rod 45 longitudinally, the arm 57will be bent at the elbow of the toggle to move the hand across axially,while rotary movement of the rod 45 will swing the hand through the arcof a circle.

Thus as the operator withinthe control room manipulates the two handwheels and the handles 55, the hands and arms may be moved in anydirection to bring the hook finge-rs59 or the spur 60 into engagementwith submerged articles and by the simul taneous control of the footswitches 19, the craft may be moved back and forth to cause the hands tobe placed in proximity to the article to be grasped and to move thearticle while in the grasp of the hands. A strong. source ofillumination indicated at 61 will furnish ample light so that theoperator may see what he is doing while he is manipulating the handsfrom the interior of the .control room. I attach particular importanceto the use of mechanical hands as stated. They enable work to bemechanically accomplished at great depths and in a manner which hasnever been heretofore possible and at the same time the operator'will besafely housed within the control room.

Oxygen or air may be supplied to the control' room by tubes from. thetender or salvage ship, or oxygen tanks may be provided in the controlroom for this purpose. If oxygen tanks are used, suitable apparatus forexhausting or disposing of. spent air within the control room may beprovided.

It will be apparent from. the foregoing detailed description that theinvention embodies numerous features of novelty which render the presentinvention a marked advance over prior devices utilized for salvagingpurposes. The structure may be built to operate at great depths and thearrangement is such that the operator may work under comfortableconditions at all times. The manual control of all working parts enablesit to satisfactorily perform its functions in a thoroughly efficientmanner while telephonic connections may be had through suitable cableswith the tender or salvage ship at the surface.

The apparatus is relatively simple in structural details,- and thearrangement ofi'th-c parts is such that they are not apt to get out oforder or become disabled.

The: drawings show the invention in its preferred, practical form; but.the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with theappended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. A salvaging apparatus comprising a closed hull having therein acompartment, in combination with a pair of mechanical devices extendingfrom the control compartment through the front of the hull, each of saidarms comprising a rod rotatably and longitudinally slidable, an armpivoted to the outer end of said rod and having at its free-end a claw,a bearing in which said rod is adapted to slide, said bearing beingrotatable with the rod, a link connection between the bearing and thearm, and means within the control compartment for longitudinally slidingthe rod and for rotating the same, whereby said mechanical devices maybe manually manipulated from within the control compartment to cause theclaws thereof to grip and hold an extraneous object.

2. A salvaging apparatus comprising a closed hull provided therein withan operat ing compartment, and a pair of mechanical hands extending inspaced apart relation from the compartment, outwardly through the hulland manually operable from within the control compartment to be moved inall directions and into and out of cooperative relation with oneanother, each of said mechanical arms embodying a toggle, one link ofwhich extends into the control compartment to be manually rotated andlongitudinally moved, the free end of the other link being provided witha rigid metallic claw, and a tie member, one end of which is, pivoted tothe latter arm in spaced relation to the elbow of the toggle andpivotally secured at its other end against longitudinal movement.

3. A salvaging apparatus comprising a closed hull provided therein withan operating compartment, and a pair of spaced apart mechanical handsextending from the co1npartment outwardly through the hull and manuallyoperable from within the control compartment to be moved in alldirections and into and out of cooperative relation with one another,each of said mechanical arms embodying a bearing extending through thefront end of the hull, a toggle, one link of which extends through thebearing into the interior of the control compartment, said link beingprovided within the control compartment with means for rotating andaxially shifting said link, and the free end of the other link beingprovided with a claw-like metallic hand, and a tie member pivotallyconnecting the bearing with the latter link intermediate the ends ofsaid link.

4. A salvaging apparatus comprising a closed hull provided interiorlywith a control compartment, a pair of mechanical arms foregoingspecification.

EMIL KULIK.

